Cucumber is one of my favorite vegetables that I snack on.Seasoned with salt, black pepper and a dash of lemon juice, this vegetable typically fills my hunger pangs.Pureed mint is stirred into beaten yogurt spiced with Cumin, Coriander and Paprika powd…

This is inspired by Panera Bread’s Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich which is served on Tomato Basil bread with Cilantro hummus. This sandwich reminds me of the one that you get in Indian bakeries or movie theaters with the green chutney. Obviously, Pane…

When you think of Mexican food, Tacos, Burritos , Enchiladas…all fancy names come to mind, but here is a rice dish that will equally tickle your taste buds! Simmered in Salsa and Vegetarian broth, this rice dish has a satisfying flavor. You can fill …

Semifreddo in Italian means half cold. Semifreddo tastes very much like ice cream except that you don’t need an ice cream maker to make this. According to wiki, it also refers to an ice cream sandwich, in which the bread is a lightly toasted croissan…

If there is an egg bhel puri, this is how it will taste like, I would imagine! Believe it or not, the first time I tried this, I did not expect it would come out as tasty as it did. This is an easy scramble with lot of Indian flavor and the lime juice …

Fondue- A communal dish made with Wine, Cheese and flour is typically eaten with bread. Fondue stems from the French word ‘fondre’ –to melt. This dish originated in Switzerland. It was considered a peasant dish and was a way to melt the hardened …

I have made and posted all fancy recipes ever since I started this blog. I wanted to make something simple and a traditional dish and I was craving for Dahi Vada/Bhalla anyways;).These are delicious soft lentil dumplings soaked in seasoned yogurt/dahi….

This is my first cookbook that I bought a few years back when I first started cooking. Yeah, Cooking!Finding a good vegetarian book can be a challenge in the US. At the time, I was searching for one that has different cuisines and some unique dishes an…

I have special affinity to Coconut right from childhood when my mom used to make “Kobbari louz” (I am sure I would have slaughtered the name and the spelling.).Essentially it is grated coconut in sugar/jaggery syrup, made into round balls. Heavenly…

Call it Chaat or a snack, this Chana dish is simple and easy to make! We call them ‘Shenagalu’ in Telugu. I have eaten this snack in Hyd where the street vendor tosses boiled chana, onions, tomatoes, coriander and lime juice in masala powder and wr…

‘Neer’ means water in Kannada and Tulu. Interestingly, water is Neer in Tamil and Neeru /neellu in Telugu. The consistency of the dosa batter is very watery, which is why the name- Neer Dosa! This does not require fermentation and it is very soft a…

A few months back, after eating one of those store bought chikkis /peanut brittle, I wanted more and decided to make it in the house. So I go to B&N and skim through some barks and brittle books and grab this super simple and super chewy toffee. Do…

This is my first bake for the Sweet and Simple Bakes.Carrot Cake with the cream cheese icing is one of my favorite cakes and I was delighted to see that it is carrot cake this month! I love sitting in Barnes and Noble or Borders reading a good thril…

It is quite hectic at my end which is why the delay in everything from posting new posts to not being able to browse all the lovely blogs!Well, I am hoping it will get better by the middle of next week but then you never know what’s in store!Do you?I w…

Ever wondered what the difference between a soup and a stew is? I did! Soups are very common in my house. I never ventured to make a stew only because of my misconception that it should have non-vegetarian items like beef. Only, I was Wrong! I stumbled…

I have been wanting to post these pictures ever since I visited Lancaster few weeks back.The past couple of weeks have been very hectic that I missed some of my favorite events too!I guess the season is also to blame to some extent, although there is n…

Hope you all had a great weekend! After a long time, I had some R&R time for myself. I was lazy to even step in the kitchen but I had to because, I was even lazier to go out and eat. I made some soup, read the book- The White Tiger by Arvind Adiga,…

This month’s T &T (a monthly event that focuses on a blog to try and taste the recipes from that blog) is featuring the classy & elegant A Life (Time) of Cooking by Ganga. A blog that was created before blogs, Food Matters (Now closed) was a …

To me, idli is the easiest breakfast to make once you have the batter, of course.Mostly, I make the idlis during Summer and Fall. The rest of the time, I get the prepared batter. Some of the best idlis, I have had were my mom’s and from a restaurant in…

The name Shallot derives from the word ‘Ashkelon’, a city in Israel. Shallot’s botanical name is Allium. They are sometimes also known as eschallots.Known as Gandana in Hindi and ‘bawang merah keci’ in Behasa Melayu, the language spoken acros…

This is the first time I am baking bread! I have always felt baking any kind of bread is a daunting task and way too overwhelming. I would rather go to Panera and pick up a baguette. But, finally, I took the plunge! Interestingly, I am not big on Pretz…

I have not been around for the last 5 days or so as I was out of town.With Summer ending (although I am not quite ready yet), we planned a vacation to OBX and it was absolutely fantastic there. The weather scared us a bit initially with Hurricane Bill …

Nestled in the beautiful Poconos, the Bushkill Falls,also known as the ‘Niagara of Pennsylvania’, is a series of 8 falls.It was first opened by Charles Peters in 1904 and is still owned by the Peters family.

A few years ago, it all started when I was throwing up food as soon as I finished eating. After evaluating me, the doctor decides to send me for an Ultrasound for any esophagus problems but to everyone’s surprise they find a lesion in my liver. The nex…

This recipe caught my eye while I was going through Food Network Magazine.It was made in a blender by Food Network’s Sarah Copeland!I was eager to try it given that it is made in a blender and more than anything, the name sounds fancy!LOL!Besides that,…

Summer is not even officially over yet and it is already chilly here in PA!I was hoping the weather will be pleasant at least until late Nov.Why did I think so? No compelling logic there!Just thought…hoped!Hoping this is a passing phase and we will h…

A few years ago,we visited my husband’s uncle and aunt who live in VA.It was a long drive but a beautiful one especially along the Chesapeake Bay bridge which offers spectacular views.That truly is an engineering marvel, I think!I wish I could share a …

With my folks in town, I am not able to get time to browse all the great blogs there or post all the drafts on my computer.I know I have a lot of catching up to do and I hope to do it in the next week.I merged two posts into one purely due to lack of t…

My parents left this past weekend and it has been gloomy these 3 days.It took longer for me to convince them to come over than their stay with me.When my dad came 2 years ago, he was determined not to come back as he always felt they are dependent on u…

I bumped into this wonderful website, Joy of baking sometime back when I was searching a recipe for Rice Krispies.There are several mouthwatering recipes in every possible category, mostly baking related.I am not fond of the ones that you get in the gr…

It is sugary treat again this time.I prepared these cookies for my friend’s daughter’s birthday party. We have been eating the delicious rice krispies that I made and now, I want more sweet treats. Last week, I was determined to not sway from my ex…

Outer Banks, known as OBX(as much as it sounds like a ticker symbol on NYSE, it is not!) is a series of small islands (Bodie Island, Hatteras island, Roanoke & Ocracoke) along the North Carolina coast.The place is quite popular for the beaches and …

Hope you had a great Diwali! I am sure most of you living outside of India will agree with me that it is hard to get the same atmosphere as in India especially on Diwali-the diyas, crackers, home made sweets and the visitors at home!As much as I want m…

With cold weather upon us, it is time to grab a book, curl up on the couch, listen to some music and keep things simple in the kitchen, like a soup that will serve as a meal by itself!I have adapted this soup recipe from Linda Fraser’s ‘Vegetarian’ boo…

There is not really much to do outdoors now that the weather is getting cold.Of course with some pleasant days here and there, we try to stroll in the nearby outdoor mall.We are home bound pretty much on weekends and you can imagine how the weekdays ar…

A lot of you can relate to when I say, kids in their ‘terrible 2′s’,-eating habits or just making them sit in one place for 5 sec and focus on something particular.It is frustrating and equally humorous!Lately, I am unable to manage my daughter, some o…

A few years back, this soup was served at our work cafeteria and after that, I never came across the soup, ever anywhere else.Thought will give it a try and so here it is-It is very simple and believe me, it is really tasty:)About 4-6 servings29oz can …

div style=”text-align: justify;”Over the past few weeks, I have come across some wonderful macaron creations in blogs, be it Daring Bakers’ Challenge or otherwise-Masterpieces, I must say!I have admired the Daring Bakers all along and I am simply awed …

Hope you all had a fun Thanksgiving holidays!We have been planning to go to Florida for some time now.We have postponed until ‘S’ is a little grown up and watches Mickey and other Disney shows.Now that she is a big fan of Mickey, almost to an obsessive…

div style=”text-align: justify;”Hope you all are doing well! We had a great time on our trip and brought back good memories and some wonderful pictures.The first half, we spent in Disney, going around the parks.The next half, we went on an air boat rid…

The weather is slowly getting cold here in the North east and we had our first snow as well for the season.I was not ready when we had the snow fall over the weekend especially because of our trip to Florida, which was very warm.My daughter, however, e…

The whole of last week, we have been under the weather.My daughter had cold, cough and fever and we were quite scared where that would turn into flu of some sort but luckily, she just had cold and fever.(Touch Wood!).Just when I thought, she is getting…

Have you watched Julie & Julia?We wanted to watch it while it was in the theaters, but realized that with ‘S’, it may not be possible, now that she is older.Believe it or not, we used to go to 10’0 clock shows until she was an year and a half.We ev…

Did you guys notice my blog is acting funny and I have no idea why?!Well, besides, cleaning up the snow on the driveways, there is not much we can do this weekend..So make a hot soup, sit back and relax!1 cup Red Lentils, soaked for 15 min6-8 cups wate…

Merry Christmas to you all!Hope you all have grand plans for the day.I made these a while back but was saving the post for today as I thought there cannot be a better and an apt recipe I can post for X’mas.Recipe:Martha Stewart1/2 cup Dried Cranberries…

Wish you a very happy, healthy and a prosperous new year !Hope you are having a blast these holidays.I am still unable to believe that it is a decade since my undergrad (don’t start guessing my age now!), 9 years since I came to the States, 2 1/2 since…

I am almost always an optimist but the past year was slowly turning me into a pessimist.I hope this year will be very different and we will have memories to cherish.The first recipe for this year will be a sweet, decadent, melt in the mouth cookies and…

This is one of the tastiest dals I have eaten outside of the plain toor dal that we cook on a daily basis.I have taken inspiration from all over the internet for this recipe.There are different versions, some with cream, some with less or no cream.Alth…

I made a bunch of cookies this past holiday season to give away as goodies to my friends and family.Mexican wedding cookies that I posted earlier were one of them.I am beginning to fall in love with the Food Network Magazine.That is one magazine I read…

Happy Pongal/Sankranti to you all!Today being a week day, there was nothing fancy in my kitchen- I made some Shrikhand (which already went into my pile of drafts and will be soon on my blog) and Payasam with rice and jaggery.It is very hard to find a g…

Very easy and fun cup cakes that kids will really fall in love with!I made these for one of my friend’s daughter’s Birthday.The mascarpone cheese makes it super soft inside and the strawberry glaze on top gives the cupcakes a tangy taste.Mascarpone che…

As many of you know, I post a lot of soups,cookies and desserts rather than Indian dishes.Its not because I don’t like or I don’t cook the cuisine at home.In fact, Indian cuisine IS one of my favorites and I do cook a lot of Indian food at home. But I …

Some weeks go by fast and some weeks feel longer than a lifetime.I feel this week is one such week.I am eagerly looking forward to the weekend and it seems far, far away!This soup is full of flavor-from the apples, curry powder and the sweetness from t…

There is practically nothing special in this dish but I wanted to share with you all my version of it that I made on Sankranti.Although I posted Veggie Burger on that day, I actually did not make Burger on that day as some of you thought.It was one of …

Peppermint in January??Well, I am sure you could have peppermint at any time of the year but these were made the past holiday season.As I mentioned earlier in my posts, I made a few cookies (Mexican Wedding Cookies and Coconut Macaroons) and and this …

One of my very dear friends got me a fine muslin cloth (Indian cotton towel) in 2006.Well, yes, I could have gotten it myself when I visited India but she got it for me.Anyway, I safely tucked it in my closet and forgot about it until I came across a f…

This pasta is very unique in shape, almost like small cups.The Ricotta salata (Not ricotta cheese) is the Italian version of Feta Cheese. Recipe:Giada1 pound Orecchiette (You can usually find this in specialty stores)1/2 cup olive oil2 garlic cloves,…

Since my husband doesn’t care to mix sweet and hot, raisins are a big no, no in curries.For that matter, he does not like sweet tamarind chutney with samosas or chaat.But yes, I complement him completely in all these aspects and I love chaat to death.A…

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!It was a relatively quiet Valentine’s Day for us today. Usually we dine out but today I have decided to keep it simple and make everything at home.Probably the snow warning/news for Monday evening put me off.The snow/ic…

I would like to say this is a specialty of Hyderabad but you sure can enlighten me on this!I don’t know if there are more versions of the same, but my friend makes it this way and I really like it!2 cups Basmati, soaked in water for 15 min10-15 Mint le…

The ‘word’ is out and most of you know by now that my little brother (actually,no longer little) is getting married this April. And the bride is Siri. And no, I don’t boss her around! Well, may be I will… after the wedding!Just kidding…Time flies a…

Milk and sugar, and that is all there is to this rich, creamy and calorie loaded dessert! Yes, you need some patience while it is boiling. That is when you can get a good movie or watch CSI! I started it at at about 10 PM hoping it would be over in 20 …

Make the pancakes from scratch and serve with pure maple syrup and tell me you won’t do it again!These are fluffy and melt in the mouth pancakes..We loved it!Recipe:Food Network2 cups all-purpose flour1/4 cup sugar2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teasp…

Tagliarelle pasta is extra thin pasta which usually cooks in about 3 min and if it is Pappardelle, a slightly wider noodles, it takes about 4 min.I initially got the Tagliarelle (which you can see in the pic below) but the final dish has pappardelle.An…

As you all know, my brother’s wedding is in less than a month and I will be leaving for India the next week.I can’t wait!I wanted to post desserts this week but it is late in the night and I am feeling lazy to write an elaborate recipe. So definitely t…

The cookies get their name from a region in France, Brittany and are known for their buttery taste.Recipe: Martha Stewart1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour and some for dusting1 cup Cake flour1 1/2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp Salt1large egg +4 egg yolks1 cup su…

Before I leave for India, I planned on posting a few desserts but time did not permit.My packing and shopping left me with little or no time to blog hop or post a recipe.I will be leaving this week and will be back in the third week of April.I may blog…

Palak Paneer is one of our family favorites.Me and my brother loved that dish especially when it is from Minerva.Yes, the same Minerva that I keep raving about.So here is my take on that dish.1 bag Fresh Spinach, roughly chopped;I am not very fond of t…

Folks,I am back from India few days back but unpacking and jet lag took over the priority list..I felt terrible the first few days as I missed home very badly.I feel a lot better now.The wedding went very well and it was a lot of fun.I was kidding with…

Happy Mothers day to you all moms out there!This post comes in late in wishing but I hope I caught just in time to wish you all of you.It is after a long time, almost month and a half that I am posting this recipe.So I will keep it easy, simple, quick …

Tasty Touch has turned 1!And Can you believe it, I missed it!It just seems like yesterday when my SIL was pushing me to open a blog. At the time it felt like a good idea to have an online recipe diary and interact and share ideas with fellow bloggers. …

This is very close to Olive Garden style Minestrone soup.I am not sure if Olive Garden’s soup has pesto in it but the pesto just takes the soup to an entirely different level in terms of the flavor.If you dont like pesto or for some reason allergic to …

One of my all time favorite dals.Well, actually Mango Dal is my favorite and one of my cousins was mentioning about this dal that she made that day and I tried it out.It was a great combination of a subtle bitter taste along with the sour taste.I love …

Cream of Tomato Soup is very popular in India.Every restaurant that you go to has this on its menu.My favorite has to be the one in Palace Heights in Abids, Hyd.It is hard to replicate the Cream of Tomato Soup.Tomato Soup in any shape or from is really…

It has been quite hot lately and a good smoothie might help to stay cool:) Here is a quick one.2 scoops of Frozen Yogurt (Vanilla or Vanilla Bean)1/2 can of Pineapple Rings1 tbsp of Orange JuiceBlend them all with a few ice cubes in a blenderStay Coo…

I have eaten Aviyal a lot of times but my aunt’s version just made me a big fan of this highly flavorful and popular curry from Kerala. You could serve it with rice but I like it to eat with puris.
This recipe is the exact version from my aunt.She got …

This is one of my daughter’s favorites after Spaghetti with tomato sauce. One of our favorite versions is from Olive Garden and after searching for quite some time, I have found this mouthwatering dish on Martha Stewart’s website.I have adapted it base…

I absolutely love the blend of flavors in this dish-Apples, cranberries and almonds..Can you imagine that? There is a lot of crunchiness to the dish and the apples add the subtle fruity flavor…Recipe:Giada 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups Israeli cousc…

With my daughter asking me for Pasta almost every other night, I wanted to make Pomodoro sauce in the home, the semi home made version.I adapted from Dave Lieberman’s recipe5 tablespoons Olive Oil8 garlic cloves (The original recipe calls for 12)6(28 o…

I have eaten a terrific salad at On the Border Mexican Restaurant and ever since, I have tried making a salad to mimic that. Finally I found this Rachel Ray’s recipe and I have tried adapting the recipe based on the ingredients that I have at home.2-3…

I don’t remember eating this in India but after I came to States, it has become one of our favorites for an easy dinner. I like to use the dried peas, soak it in water overnight and pressure cook it. That said, I don’t think the canned one compromises …

This is the first time I have tried making Khaman Dhokla at home. I have always used the Ready to make version but obviously this is so much tastier.Recipe: Sanjeev Kapoor2 cups gram flour, sieved1 cup yogurt, preferably sour1 tsp ginger and chillies, …

Made with apricots and sugar, this dessert hails from Hyderabad and is often used in combination with Vanilla ice cream. Khubani/Qubani means apricots in Urdu.I ate one of the best in a restaurant called ‘ Waterfront’ on Necklace Road in Hyderabad. Ver…

Raita is something that I have adored from my childhood. It is very tasty and very easy to make. I like raita to sit in the refrigerator for an hour at the very least before serving it chilled, with rice. At one of my daughter’s birthday party, o…

I have seen this recipe on my visit to India this time. It was aired on a Telugu Channel , I believe Maa TV but I am not sure. This has been by far the best Fried Idli I have ever eaten. It is made like a curry except the main ingredient is Idli.4-5 Id…

The Indo Chinese cuisine is very popular all across India. Every Restaurant that serves rice most likely has the Manchurian and Fried Rice on its menu.Once that taste is acquired, it is hard to eat the Chinese food here.While I have adapted this to my …

These cookies have a texture somewhere between a shortbread cookie and a cake.I added some color to the glaze just to make it more colorful.You can totally skip it. They are not too sweet but the combination of Ricotta Cheese and lemon flavor is very t…

The Indo Chinese Style, Veg Fried rice is hard to get in an Indian Restaurant in the States. There are 2 good Indo Chinese restaurants in New Jersey- Naan King and the Ming.Let me know if there are any good places that I need to know -Basic Recipe:From…

Thank You for all the wishes. The Holidays have been fun and very relaxing. We had a couple of parties and the posts that I will be doing in the next few weeks should be all the dishes that I made. I am very excited and trust me, this time around, I wi…

Campanelle in Italian means “BellFlowers”.The edges of this pasta are fluted and has is hollow in the center for holding the sauce.This is very “Holiday-ish” looking Pasta.I personally like pasta dishes with little or no sauce. This is a taste that I h…

Its that time of the year where the Holiday decorations are down and every one I am sure is bracing for the snow storms and blizzards in the next couple of months. While this is definitely not my most preferred season, this will let me relax and unwind…

I have owned the ‘Cooking at home’ with Pedatha (Pedatha means (elder aunt) in Telugu, typically father’s sister) book for a couple of months now. At the risk of making it sound like a review/critique, I wanted to share my thoughts on this book.It is …

As the tragedy in Japan unfolds, it is very sobering to realize what nature can do and the damage it can cause. The earthquake and the tsunami were horrific and coupled with that a nuclear melt down only made the matters worse.While it is common in Jap…

Even as an adult,I find some of the children’s books engrossing. ‘The Very hungry Caterpillar’ and ‘Jamberry’ are two of my favorite books that I love to read while putting Shriya to bed. Those books, I know, will later move to my shelf to sit with Cal…

It is so beautiful here in PA with the temperature going upto 80F. While I feel that Winter was not as brutal this year except for January, the arrival of Spring and Summer is always exciting.Having grown up in the Southern Parts of India,with the noto…

I made this the day before V’s Birthday. It came out perfect!! The taste was much better the day after…I have been aiming to make a layered cake on his Birthday each year but the time that it can take and the procedure together, made me hesitant and …

When I first came across the Rasavangi recipe,I was quite amused by the name.Although I was in India for the majority of my life, I have never come across this dish. But then, I realized it is a variant of Sambar or Pappuchaaru as we call in Telugu. Th…

Known with several different names and cooked with distinctive styles,Paneer Butter Masala is a popular punjabi dish that is rich in flavor and creamy in texture. I cook this in a nut based gravy simmered with Tomato sauce and spices. I add the fried P…

Last year, I was amused to see that every blog I visited had the Kachori recipe. I later realized it was part of ICC Challenge. At the time, I was not willing to touch any event that had ‘challenge’ in the title with a 10 foot pole.But I have always ad…

If there is an obsession for desserts, it should start with Tiramisu! Tiramisu,which literally means ‘Pick me up’ is an Italian layered dessert.It almost adorns every Italian Restaurant dessert menu. It is elegant and can easily seduce you with its ric…

There have been endless evenings with never ending arguments and profound reasonings – all because of Food.My Mom and I always had arguments leading up to fights about me eating food on the streets. She never approved of me eating from street vendors, …

Every time I think of Lasagna, Garfield is what comes to mind. Garfield(comic strip)a cat born in the Italian Kitchen is very fond of Lasagna, actually obsessed is the right word.I read this comic strip once in a while or when I come across.It is unden…

Between a fancy dessert and a rice pudding, the rice pudding will be the winner for me.Any Day!Paayasam is so simple yet the most delectable dessert.Some recipes carry Condensed milk but I thought just simple milk would do the trick as my mom always ma…

When I first started my blog, I participated in most of the events that I came across in the blogosphere. But lately, my work, my growing daughter, her classes and just cleaning up takes away most of my time in a day. As summer approaches, I tend to un…

The Hyderabadi cuisine is very popular for dishes like Baigara Baingan,Dum Biryani , Khabuli and Mirchi Ka Salan. Having lived there for a decent part of my life, I can eat any amount of gravy curries and the strong Biryanis.Mirchi Ka Salan can sound l…

People who know me well, know that I love NYC. Over the years that I have stayed in the East Coast, it wouldn’t be an overstatement if I said, I visited NYC at least twice an year.And every time I visit, the place gets me excited even more. I could wal…

With different versions and tastes, Kadhi Pakora is very popular across India although it is primarily a Punjabi dish.Typically, it has the bay leaves and in some cases masala as well, but I skipped all of it. I simmer onion pakoras in a simple gram fl…

Most of us have Italian cuisine somewhere in the top as one of our favorite cuisines.Especially, when it comes to the carbs loaded bread served before the meal. While we are frequent visitors to Olive Garden, Macaroni grill’s and Carrabba’s breads need…

I am back from my Alaska Trip and back to my routine.The trip was awesome, exciting and exhausting.I could take another vacation to fully recover from this one.
Alaska is beautiful beyond words. Every place will have its distinctive character and beaut…

I was mentioning to one of my friends that I made Eggplant with Paneer curry and he was almost shocked. Eggplant with Paneer!!! The combination doesn’t sound like any of the paneer curries that we make. But it tastes equally good.

Also known as Piece Montee, Croquembouche is a delectable tower of pastry puffs filled with Pastry cream. The pastry cream could be of any flavor. I chose half Vanilla and half chocolate.Croquembouche (Kroh-Kuhm-BOOSH)means ‘Crunch in the Mouth’.

When I saw post on Supriya’s blog, I knew I was going to make it.I am huge fan of tomatoes. There can never be enough of tomatoes in my kitchen and every dish has to have it. Of course exceptions always apply!!
Simple, can be made in a jiffy and delici…

Bobbatu/Puran Poli is a sweet bread that is popular across India. The fillings could be made of chana dal, moong dal or toor dal. The most popular filling in Andhra is chana dal mixed with Jaggery. I did not have jaggery and so I substituted Sugar whic…

Bertha Palmer, an American Socialite requested a chef in the Palmer house Hotel in Chicago to create a dessert that is less cakey and can be eaten straight from a lunch box (Source:Wikipedia).That is how brownies were created and the first brownies had…

Growing up, eggplant was the most cooked vegetable in my house. I can safely say that I have tasted most of the dishes that can possibly be made with Baingan, be it Eggplant chutney, Bagara Baingan or Baingan Bhartha or Vankaya karam (Eggplant with Red…

As the Summer is winding down, the urge to squeeze in ‘just one more beach trip’ or ‘just one more Theme park visit’ is rather high. It makes me sick to my stomach that Winter is fast approaching..The lazy evenings on the Patios, Beach hangouts, walks …

I hope all those that were in the path of Irene are safe. There are newspapers reporting that Irene has caused much less damage than anticipated but to me Saturday night felt like an eternity. Perhaps, because hurricanes dont hit the NY-NJ-PA tristate …

Wish you all a very Happy Ganesh/Vinayaka Chathurthi.It is probably different time that each of us celebrate the Chavithi given that our time zones are different. Regardless, I hope you all get to make the Modakams/Undrallu.

My mom’s tomato chutney is a favorite of mine. Her secret is to add methi seeds(Fenugreek seeds). It has a mild bitter flavor but not overpowering. In fact it imparts a nice smell similar to the smell in Pickles.She also adds a few leaves of coriander …

Hope you all had a nice long weekend. The long weekend went by pretty fast.The weekends always do. It was a lot of fun with my uncle and family dropping by. The little one thoroughly enjoyed their stay playing with her cousins. Sitting and chatting and…

Hope all of you had a wonderful Onam! Ask a newly married where they are heading out for their honeymoon in India and most likely the answer is Kerala.I have heard at least a dozen times. No wonder it is everyone’s favorite spot and justifiably so. As…

I doubt if there is anyone who has not heard of Julia Child. Julia Child and her recipes are iconic to say the least. Known popularly from her PBS show ‘The French Chef’ and someone who demystified French Cooking and the cuisine, I have only seen her c…

Carbs are evil and we all know that. Especially the refined starch in the all purpose flour. Yet, we cannot stay away from anything white which includes sugar:-) I believe anything in moderation is good. The more you want to stay away from a particular…

Again, my today’s dish has to do with bread. It is hard to resist bread especially when the accompaniment is unparalleled Bhaji. Pav Bhaji is the quintessential street food particularly in Mumbai. When it comes to Indian street food, Pav Bhaji is my fa…

The Greek Yogurt is smooth and very rich in taste. This is similar to chakka, yogurt drained in cloth.In fact a lot of times, I love to use the Greek Yogurt for making Shrikhand which saves a lot of time without having to give up on the taste.Greek Yog…

There is something about fall and the dramatic changes it brings – the pleasant weather and the vibrant bursts of colors of the leaves with the holiday season just around the corner! It also happens to be my favorite season. As a family, we tend to do …

Hope all of you are enjoying the nice weather on the other side of the pond. I am having a wonderful with my family here in India.Lots of family time, good food, stuffed with love and pampering, I hate to get onto the flight the next weekend!Recipe: Sa…

Although these are served in restaurants as appetizers, these can be served as main course. I can get completely stuffed if I eat 2 of them. The fillings can be as hearty as black beans, corn or Veggies or simply cheese. These can be put together in no…

Zabaione/Sabayon/Zabaglione is an Italian custard made from just eggs, sugar and marsala wine.Ideally you need a double broiler to make this dessert but don’t fret if you don’t have one.You can use two heat resistant bowls.Make sure that you use a heav…

Happy Dassera to you all! My India trip has been a very short but a very sweet one. I could not fit all the things in the few days that I was there but I spent time with my family to my heart’s content.But, my heart is still heavy..I miss home and I …

Polenta is an Italian dish. It is made with cornmeal, yellow or white. It is smooth and creamy and resembles Upma both in taste and texture. It was once considered a peasant’s food but today, you can find this on the menus of some gourmet food places.R…

A very dear friend of mine invited my parents when they were here a couple of years back which is when she prepared this fabulous Bell Pepper Chutney. She is a fabulous cook and her Biryani needs a special mention. I firmly believe that a recipe when p…

Coconut Rice is prepared in various cuisines and countries. One of my friends who is Puerto Rico mentioned to me that they make rice with coconut milk as the base.It was always my impression that Coconut Rice is an Indian dish primarily hailing from Ke…

To those of you who do not eat eggs at all, this version of Paneer can be a great substitute. Especially when Paneer is cooked like Bhurji, it resembles scrambled eggs. Infact, I have seen some interesting variations of curries with Eggs and Paneer on …

Deep Frying is a big no-no in my house. Either because me and V are not in the best health, best shape or that the house starts stinking after a while. We never used to notice when we deep fried earlier, that there used to be a certain smell that you c…

It was so much fun to watch Shriya as Cinderella this Halloween. We have been loyal to Disney the last couple of times with her being a Minnie Mouse last year.I will hate to get to those years when she will no longer want to dress up and I can no longe…

Some have suggested that perhaps, I should add more Indian dishes to the blog and I am slowly going towards that path. Over the next few weeks you will see me add more Indian dishes to my posts, dishes that I cook on a daily basis.I hope you will enjoy…

I have misunderstood Amaranth to be Gongura for the longest time, until very recently when I came across Amaranth labeled as Thotakura which came as a surprise, of course!It was always a challenge for me to identify Gongura leaves from Thotakura leaves…

Believe it or Not! I don’t own an iPhone or an iPad.Most of my friends/relatives carry either one of them or both.It is not because I don’t care for the creator or admire his creativity. I just do not care for any technology. It is an irony that someon…

‘Rumali’ translates to ‘Hand kerchief’ in Hindi. The Roti is as thin as a cloth and hence its name.Preparing Rumali Roti can be seen as a daunting and an overwhelming task in the house. Of course, we cannot match a restaurant’s texture and size but it …

Here we are in mid-November and I wonder where 2011 has gone. The months have disappeared and I feel not much has been accomplished from my to do lists that I usually draft at the beginning of the year.I had a few books to read and things to do with th…

Biryani is a rice dish that has many variations which can include Vegetables, Meat, eggs and nuts. The name is originated from the Persian word berya(n) which translates to ‘fried’ or ‘roasted’ (Source: Wiki)Dum Biryani differs from the regular biryani…

Here is another rice dish- Hoppin’ John! Hoppin John has many variations and no single place to give the origins from, but it is fundamentally a rice and black eyed peas dish. Black eyed peas are considered to bring luck when eaten on New years Day. Th…

I first bumped into this dish in a buffet at a restaurant which my mom and I instantly fell in love with. My initial impression of this dish was that it is Chana Masala which came with a different name.However, it had a completely different taste and w…

She looks and smiles! She shouts in joy! The little one gets a sparkle in her eyes and a sense of excitement when she sees a full moon or a Sunset.And then the pretend play of going to the moon or space begins.I try to deflect and procrastinate the “Ro…

‘Santa Claus is coming to town’. Under that pretext we make the little one clean her toys, eat her food etc., Yes, Bribe it can be considered but I consider it to be a motivator.And trust me the solace is only temporary.Things will go back to normal fo…

Focaccia is a rustic Italian bread with a taste and fragrance similar to pizza.It can be topped with herbs or cheese or Onions. While not very common, I have seen some exotic toppings like fruits as well. It requires very little or no kneading at…

I am truly excited-I won the MLLA for November!!I usually am not in luck with the lucky draws and so I could not believe when Simona mailed me that I won.Thank You Susan and Simona and of course, my lucky stars!! It is the perfect end to 2011 for me….

Wish you all a very Happy New Year!! I make this dessert atleast once a year and every time I make, it has been a huge hit among my friends and family.Given how easy it is to make this, it is as sinful and it is no understatement when I say that. It is…

So the little one was way too excited to go to her day care on Friday and the reason being that the school has an hour long class to prep them for Kindergarten. Not certain on if she is excited for K or excited to have fun in those classes. Regardless …

It is very rare that a chaat vendor goes unnoticed on the street side. It seems like an art when they quickly put together a plate of chaat. It is hard to mimic that act, replicate the proportions and get a similar taste.This is a simple and an easy to…

“Everything in moderation… including moderation.” – Julia ChildV comments and smirks, “Your blog should have 2 categories- ‘Artery cloggers’ and ‘Healthy recipes’!. I might as well! My blog is not all about healthy foods but a combination. …

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston ChurchillIt is hard to read a story of an orphan let alone associate the stories with their innocent pictures. I often listen to myself screaming at my little one to eat …

“In the evening, I would approach the stove armed with lofty intentions, the Joy of Cooking or Gourmet magazine tucked under my arm, and little kitchen sense. My meals were satisfactory, but they took hours of laborious effort to produce. I’d usually p…

This is a perfect one pot meal. Typically, I make it in a pie dish but for a change, I decided to make it in individual ramekins which turned out to be neat.3 tbsp Butter1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed2 carrots, finely chopped1 cup Button Mushrooms, c…

Thanksgiving or not, this dish is worthy a trip. One of my ex-colleagues makes a seriously tasty Sweet Potato Casserole. She is from Alabama and I feel it comes as a second nature to her to make these casseroles. It was when I never tasted her Casserol…

Nutella is a favorite in my household. The little one and I can lick from the jar without any second thoughts. These cookies have a mild bitter taste and are not all that sweet. Perfect for treats. I skipped the Hazelnut Extract and did not garnish wit…

Brie is a cheese that I tasted and learned of very recently. I heard of this at work when my colleagues brought a Cheese plate with crackers, fruits and honey. Well, I know the Cheese plate but never did I question the names of the cheeses or the perfe…

This curry has a subtle bitter taste coupled with the sweetness of peas and the richness from the Cream. I was debating between the Potatoes or Paneer although one is not a substitute for the other, widely different in textures and taste, I went with P…

“May in Ayemenem is a hot, brooding month. The days are long and humid, The river shrinks and black crows gorge on bright mangoes in still, dust green trees. Red bananas ripen. Jackfruits burst. Dissolute bluebottles hum vacuously in the fruity air, Th…

Unbelievable weather with the temperatures soaring up to 75F. For March, it seems impossible.Nonetheless, we are enjoying it. These cookies were made during Christmas Holidays and yes, they have been lurking on my desktop for about 3 months now. I am s…

Milk sweets are adored in my house by V and the little one.As for me, I indulge in the more notorious sugar sweets like the Boondi Laddu and the Halwa. To pass by a sweet shop in India and to not have an adorned box of irresistible sweets in your hands…

Spring is here and unusually early with the pleasant smells of freshly cut grass in the air!! With not many snow flakes burying us down and flowers blooming quite early this year, this year seems one with no Winter. Am I speaking too early? But the …

This simple,short and an exquisite book captures observations, the lifestyles and culture of Japan.The beauty of this book is you can randomly open a page and Surprise!- you don’t have to know the story preceding that page. Each page has a unique th…

It was V’s birthday and it has become more or less a norm for me to bake the cake each year. The last year was Lemon Curd Cake and this year, it is the Red Velvet Cake. The little one gets the privilege to choose the Cake and the flavor. I simply hop…

So, I have never told you that I was brought up by my maternal grandparents till I was 8 years old. I was fortunate to live in a small town with plenty of family around and in the midst of nature in my formative years. It is a simple life with no hustl…

It has been almost 3 years that I got into this blogging world and it has been a very unique experience. There are some blogs that I fell in love with either for their writing or for the photography or for their creative recipes or simply the warmth…

Every Andhra soul would have tasted this quintessential street food at least once in their life time. Unlike Chat vendors who have different types of chat on the same cart, these vendors dedicate their carts exclusively to these fritters. My Dad used t…